Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Kamakazi Ninja
Summary: A series of oneshots inspired by a handful of poems written by Shel Silverstein. ROBXRAE
1. Hug o'war

**I wanted to give you guys something before the year ended. Somebody once told me to have a whole bunch of one-shots in a story so here it is. Inspiration is from Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic. Make sure you sign in to review so I can reply. Merry Christmas!**

**Disclaimer: not mine.**

_HUG O' WAR_

_I will not play at tug o' war._

_I'd rather play at hug o' war,_

_Where everyone hugs_

_Instead of tugs,_

_Where everyone giggles_

_And rolls on the rug,_

_Where everyone kisses,_

_And everyone grins,_

_And everyone cuddles,_

_And everyone wins._

_-Shel Silverstein_

We were both so stubborn.

"I am not going to play tug o' war with you, Robin," I growled defiantly. My hands lazily grabbed the book but I was nowhere near of letting go.

"Then just give up so I could read my book."

Give up? I couldn't believe he just said that. Me? Give up? Surely Robin had known me longer than that.

"_Your _book? You gave this to me for my birthday."

I remember that birthday. It was the smallest present I had gotten but it was the most cherished. I thought it sweet that he had found the book I had been secretly eyeing for months. But I would never tell him that.

He gave a sudden pull and I lurched forward. "Yeah, but you let me borrow it."

I regained my balance and firmly held my ground. My hands gripped a little tighter on the small leather-bound novel.

"You left it in the living room for a whole week so I took it back."

"I was still reading it."

I fell forward from another one of his pulls and braced myself against the couch. "I'm not playing tug o' war with you," I repeated, "So stop being childish."

For a moment, it seemed that I had won when Robin's hand relaxed. However, that weird smile that appeared on his face worried me.

Before I knew it, I was wrenched forward and smashed into Robin's chest as he quickly wrapped his arms around me in a death-grip hug.

The TV cracked and some dishes in the kitchen shattered. "Robin, let me go."

I wiggled in his grasp but it was no use. My arms were firmly pinned on my sides. True, I had the book in my hands, but at a costly price.

"Wouldn't you rather play hug o' war?"

…Maybe. "No." I flinched as the Gamestation was crushed by my magic.

"Then give me the book."

No. If I gave him the book, that would mean I had lost. This was all a mind game he was playing and I wouldn't let him make me lose control.

I pushed violently against him to loosen his grip but that move proved fatal. He fell backwards and I, being trapped in his grip, fell with him.

I flushed bright red. "Let me go."

And do you know what he did? He laughed. Just… laughed

My anger burned and objects around us floated around us. I should have teleported away but my powers were helpless to this outburst of embarrassment and…something else. I quickly shook the thought from my head.

Meditation was what I needed. Lots and lots of meditation.

Robin saw my shiver and hugged me tighter than I thought possible. "Are you cold?" My faced pressed against his chest and I blushed even harder.

"No," I answered and raised my head to look at him only to find my face millimeters from his.

I turned away. "I don't like this game," I mumbled.

"Then just give me the book and we'll stop playing hug o' war."

Hug o' war? Surely Robin was just making all this up. Stupid pride. I couldn't let Robin get to me. I wasn't going to let him win.

"No. Let go."

I could see him roll his eyes under his mask. It would have been easier to tell Slade to turn to the good side.

"No."

"Let go now."

"Nope."

"Let go!"

"No."

"Robin!" The fridge and its contents splattered all over the kitchen in my rage. Fed up with his stubbornness and annoyed with my own lack of self-control, I buried my face in his chest and yelled out all my frustration.

He was messing with me and I knew it. He was trying to break me. Make me angry and stressed.

The sad thing is, it was working.

I chanted in my mind to calm myself and raised my head. I could feel his breath on my face and hoped he didn't notice the heat that was slowly coming to my cheeks. Oh, how I wished I had my hood.

"Are you done?"

I took a deep breath and forced the barriers around me. Relax Raven. Don't let him win. "Yes, I am." I didn't like that weird look on his face.

"Good."

I gasped as he closed the small distance between us and forced his lips to mine. The whole room was engulfed in black and I could feel strings of magic destroy everything in their path. I mumbled in protest but that didn't stop him.

My grip was slipping. Happiness was going ballistic; running in circles and screaming. Close behind her was Lust, who started jumping up and down and singing like she was at the opera. I couldn't lose control. That seemed to be my new mantra lately. Don't you dare close your eyes, Raven. Just focus. I couldn't lose…

The feeling was overwhelming. My barriers had crumbled and I nearly melted into him. I tingle ran down my spine and seemed to vibrate throughout my whole body. Why was I reacting like this?

I ripped myself away. "Fine. There's your stupid book," I muttered, shoving it into his chest. I was angry. He had no right to do what he did. Not only had he violated me but I felt this sinking feeling in my stomach that I didn't like one bit.

"Raven, I-"

"Shut up." I got up and practically ran out of the living room praying that he wouldn't give chase.

After the door closed behind me, I sank down to my knees.

I shouldn't have kissed him back. He was just toying with me, I knew it. In some stupid way, I guess I lost. Yet, I couldn't help feeling the tingle of his lips or that my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't help my quickened heart or that feeling of happiness that I pushed to the back of my head. The thought kept running through my mind; I had enjoyed the fact that he had kissed me.

The door opened and I looked up.

"Here." The book was handed to me and I hesitantly grabbed it. "I'm sorry Raven. I never meant…I mean, I shouldn't have…"

I was going soft. "Sit down. I'll read it to you."

He looked confused for a moment but his face lit up and it quickly turned to happiness.

"Really?"

"Well, unless you don't want me to…"

He was already sitting next to me. I opened the book and started to read, aware that his arm slowly sneaked around my shoulders. I smiled.

Maybe we both could win.


	2. Listen to the MUSTN'TS

_LISTEN TO THE MUSTN'TS_

_Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,_

_Listen to the DON'TS_

_Listen to the SHOULDN'TS_

_The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON"TS_

_Listen to the NEVER HAVES_

_Then listen close to me—_

_Anything can happen, child_

_ANYTHING can be._

I had always wanted to go outside when I was a child. I had thought that maybe if I played with the other _normal _kids then I could be normal like them too.

"You mustn't Raven," the head monk had always said, "You might contaminate the children with your demonic powers."

Yeah, that's what he always said. The idea had been etched in my mind from the day I was born so I fell silent, gave a small nod in agreement and never asked the question again.

"Raven, we're going to the park. Wanna come?" Robin leaned over the couch to face me.

I glanced up from my book and gave him an annoyed look. He had said that he would give me privacy and space.

"Sorry, but no." Keep it short and no questions will follow.

"Why not?"

I bit my tongue to keep from snapping at him. "I can't," I said from clenched teeth.

"Why?"

I slammed my book shut and shot him a nasty glare. This couldn't be our leader. I had only been here for two weeks and I was already getting sick of him. This guy couldn't take a hint.

"Because of my powers." I kept my gaze locked on him as if daring him to ask one more question.

He fell silent though and put his hand to his chin as if in deep thought. I went back to my reading. Maybe he would leave.

"I don't really see a problem," he said after a moment.

"What?"

"I mean, you have control of your powers, right? So what's the problem?"

I was at a loss for words. This guy was almost as stubborn as I was. "I…just can't."

"Nonsense, c'mon." He grabbed my wrist and I instantly shot him a warning glare. He didn't let go and pulled me gently from the couch.

"I mustn't…"

"Why not? Did something happen to you when you were a kid? If so, then just tell me and I'll leave you alone."

I looked away, "I might contaminate the people," I mumbled quoting what I had been taught my whole life.

"What?"

I was getting frustrated. "I might contaminate the children with my powers ok? I can't go." I ripped my arm from his grasp and started walking to the door.

"Raven?"

"What." What else would he pester me with now?

"Do I look contaminated to you?"

"What?"

"Do any of us look contaminated to you? Well…except Beastboy."

"What?" I still couldn't believe what he was asking. Where was he going with this?

"I mean, this team started two weeks ago an you've been with usDo _we _look contaminated? 'Cause if I am, I want to know." He grinned.

I felt my mouth twitch into a smile. "I think you'll be alright."

His tone suddenly became serious. "Raven, I don't know who ever said that you would 'contaminate' anyone, but here, you can do anything. Don't let anyone talk down to you like that."

I nodded sheepishly. "Thanks Robin."

"No problem. Now c'mon, the others are waiting." He grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards the door and this time, I didn't seem to mind.

I had always wanted to touch the small alter at the temple. It's silly, I know, but I thought that if I touched the small marble table, I might be able to ask for forgiveness on the fate that was forced upon me.

"Don't touch the alter Raven," the priest sneered, "We don't want to be poisoned by your darkness."

My hands fell to my sides and I never tried to touch the alter again.

"Cyborg's in there?" I looked up and the tall, brick chapel before me.

"Yup." Robin seemed as awed as I was.

"So, are you going to go find him?" We must have looked silly there; two Titans staring dumbly at the large colored glass windows.

"Me? I thought you were going to get him."

I took my gaze off the chapel and turned to him, "Why would I go in there?"

He shrugged. "Well, I mean you spent most of your life with monks so…"

"Why don't you go in there?" I shot back.

"Well, I never really have gone to church…How about this? We'll both go in there."

I rolled my eyes. I was going to regret this… "Fine."

I guess Robin and I both felt horribly out of place when we entered the large church. It looked even _bigger _from the outside and we had no problem finding a dark corner to hide in.

"You see Cyborg?" Robin whispered to me.

You would think it would be easy to find a huge Cyborg in a crowd of people but I found it nearly impossible. Everyone was kneeling with their heads bowed in prayer. My eyes wandered to a picture and I froze.

I had seen the picture before but this one was so big and looked so _real _that I couldn't help but to stop and stare at my father's trampled form. The angle pinning him down was one I knew well. Archangel Michael was my father's sworn enemy. And an enemy of my father was a friend of mine.

"Do you see him?" he saw my frozen expression and followed my gaze to the huge picture. "Who's that?"

"That's the archangel Michael and the demon…he's my father."

Robin snapped to attention. "What?"

I silently cursed myself for revealing so much information. The people had finished with mass and started filing out of the church. That's when something else caught my eye.

"Can I touch the alter?" I was fascinated with the large marble table and my mind wandered to my inability to ever touch it.

"Yeah, you can do anything you want."

"Really?" Now that I was given the chance, I was scared. The priests looked menacing and the people looked judgmental.

"I'll take you up there." He grabbed my wrist, a habit he had formed, and pulled me through the benches.

The aisle seemed to stretch before me and I could feel the stares of the people in the church. Of course, who wouldn't stare at a half-demon child inside of a holy chapel?

When we finally reached the alter, it looked more ominous than ever. Robin nudged me toward it and after a good 5 minutes of staring at it, I slowly raised my hand toward the stone table. Hesitantly, I pulled it back and looked uncertainly at Robin. He nodded approvingly and I gained the courage to place my hand on the alter. Instantly, I felt a wave of relief wash over me and right then and there, I prayed.

Prayed for forgiveness from the inevitable.

When I was a teenager, I decided to run away. It was a stormy night and I believed that no one would find me in the unusual rain that had fallen over Azerath. I don't know what I was running away from. Maybe it was the monks. Maybe it was my fate. But before I could get anywhere, the head monk rushed through the door and roughly grabbed my arm.

"You shouldn't run away Raven," the monk had angrily said, "Do you want to condemn other worlds to you fate as well?"

I had stopped struggling and hung limply at his side as he threw me into room and locked the door.

Years had gone by and I found myself packing my bag on some rainy night in Jump City. I quietly grabbed all my necessities and wrote notes to the people that I had known to become my friends. This was the life of a half-demon.

"Raven?" I jumped at the voice and quickly turned. "Where are you going?"

Anyone but him. I could've dealt with Cyborg, Starfire, or Beastboy but Robin? I would have rather fought Trigon then try to explain to Robin why I was leaving in the middle of the night.

"I'm leaving."

"Why?" He made no move to stop me, no words to hold me back.

"You wouldn't understand."

He laughed a little. "I could try."

"I'm sorry Robin." I grabbed my bags and started to walk past Robin and out the door.

"Whether or not we see you tomorrow is your choice," he said to me as I passed him "You can do anything you want; I won't try to stop you. Just know…just know, that I'll miss you."

I forcefully threw down my bags. I would miss him too. "Robin, I can't stay here."

"Did I do something? Was it my fault?"

I felt tears well in my eyes and I quickly shut them away. He was putting the blame on himself. "Robin. You didn't do anything wrong. Now turn around, go to bed and forget about me."

He nodded gravely and started down the empty hallway.

"Robin?"

He turned. "Yeah?"

I held out my hand for a handshake. "Thanks for being a good leader…and a great friend."

Robin wearily looked down at my hand but before I knew it, he had embraced me in a tight hug. "You're welcome," he whispered.

He turned and disappeared in the darkness leaving me stunned and confused. A whirlwind of emotions formed in the pit of my stomach. Now, it seemed as if I didn't want to leave anymore.

I sighed, grabbed my bags, and started to unpack my things.

At sixteen, I have wondered what it would be like to fall in love. I was a teenager after all. Maybe I had thought that being loved by someone else would be better than the 'love' the monks showed me here.

When I told my mom, the only one I thought would understand, she had turned her face away as tears came to her eyes.

"It's impossible for you to fall in love Raven," my mother said quietly, "You won't ever be able to show emotion."

I could feel my hopes and my heart shatter and turned away from my mother's tears, never to wonder about love again.

"Stop asking me Robin! I said I'll figure it out on my own!"

"That's what's it with you Raven! We're your team, and we worry about you! But all you do is push us away!

I had forgotten what how this fight started in the first place. One moment we were sitting in the T-car with the others and the next we were yelling at each other in the living room.

I think that it was my emotions that had started it all. My recent thoughts about our leader had gone awry and I was stressed from the heavy mediation I had put myself through.

"Leave me alone!" I went into my room and tried to slide the door closed but Robin put his arm in the way and forced himself past me.

My voice turned from a yell to a low hiss. "Get out."

"No."

I threw open the door and shoved Robin out with my powers.

"I'm only trying to help you Raven," he said through the slab of metal. His tone was softer, quieter then in was moments before. "Why can't you love us like we have loved you?"

I don't think he knew how much those works hurt. I put my forehead to my door and closed my eyes. The sinking in my heart refused to be shoved away like all the other emotions. I put my hand on the door as if, somehow, I could reach our fearless leader behind it. Maybe he could have given me some of his strength or his courage.

"I can't love Robin," I mumbled weakly, "You know that." I slide down to my knees, wallowing in my self-pity.

"No, Raven," I heard him. I could imagine him leaning against the door, feeling helpless to the girl on the other side. "You can do anything. I believe in you. You just need to believe in yourself."

I guess he had just found the overwrite code because my door opened and he found my weak and humble form.

Without a word, he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to a standing position.

"I love you." I kept my gaze to the ground. He didn't mean in _that _way. I knew. He was talking about a weak love, a friendship love. He would never love me in that way and I never expected him to.

"Yeah, I know."

I had never wondered about my first kiss. I knew it was never possible. I had never daydreamed of a prince sweeping me off my feet. I had never fantasized of some hero giving everything for me. I had never imagined someone giving me affectionate hugs, the warmth of someone holding my hand, the soft graze across my cheek…

I also never imagined that Robin would kick so _hard_.

I quickly got up and parried Robin's fist and sent a chop to his throat. His attack stopped and he grabbed his neck gasping for breath. But I held no mercy. Grabbing his arm, I twisted it and sent him sprawled on his back.

Robin wasn't going to give up that easily. He wrapped his hand around my ankle and pulled me to the ground. In a matter of moments, Robin was on top of me; his hand grasping my neck.

I tried prying him loose but that only caused him to tighten his grip. Tunnel vision captured my eyesight and I tapped out to keep from fainting from the lack of air.

Robin stood up breathing heavily. "You've gotten better."

I took his outstretched hand and he shakily helped me to my feet. "You think so?"

"Yeah."

"I still can't beat you though."

"Anything can happen, Rae. I wouldn't be surprised if you pinned me down soon."

I discarded his remark. "So, any injuries?"

"Yeah. My collarbone and my ribs."

I put my glowing hand to his collarbone. Just a hairline fracture; nothing I couldn't fix. My hand moved down his chest to his ribs and blushed. "They're just bruised," I said taking my hand off his torso. I quickly healed my own body and stood up.

"Wanna go another round?"

I nodded. "Sure."

He started immediately and I quickly ducked to avoid his kick. When I stood up, he was behind me and trapped me in a bear hug with my arms pinned at my sides.

I laughed to myself. Maybe these were the affectionate hugs. I kicked his leg from under him and gave a sharp elbow to his chest. Robin was quick though; he had grabbed my arm and quickly got me into an arm-bar.

Maybe this was the warmth of someone holding my hand. I kicked out of the submission and tried to tackle my leader to the ground. I was met with a full out kick that sent me to the ground gasping for breath.

I stood up just in time to block another bone-shattering kick to my chest. I was not, however, fast enough to deflect the heel palm that smashed into my nose.

Blood. Everywhere. All over my face, down my front, and all over my cloak. My first reaction was to throw my hands to my face but that just smeared the blood around even more.

"You alright?"

I spit some blood out of my mouth and nodded. Putting my hand to my face, I healed my broken nose.

"Are you ok?"

I cleaned the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand. "I'm fine."

Robin smiled and used a gloved hand to wipe my cheek. I froze as he placed his hand on the other side of my face. The only problem is, he didn't move his hand. He moved closer and I couldn't get my body to move or react or do _anything. _

Just as his lips touched mine, I shoved him back with a heel palm to his chest.

I stood over him. "Get up, and get in a fighting stance." I turned and walked to the other side of the gym.

Just adrenaline from fighting, I kept telling myself. That's why my heart was beating so fast. He was delirious, caught up in the moment. It can't happen.

I turned around and got in a low stance. I was surprised that Robin was just standing there. I didn't care. It was his fault if he wanted to get hit.

I sent a straight punch at him. It was sloppy and he easily parried it and grabbed the back of my neck. I was sure that I was going to be slammed to the ground so I closed my eyes for impact. I didn't meet the cold gym floor, but warm lips.

I sighed with content. I had never known it would feel like _this. _Every nerve in my body was tingling and my legs went from a strong fighting stance to jelly. My fist relaxed and I ran my hand through his hair.

Suddenly, everything clicked into place and I pulled away. "This can't happen. We can't…"

His hand rested on my cheek and I fell silent.

"Anything can happen."

**Alright, tell me what you think. I know this was a long chapter (for me any way). Thanks for reading through it. Writes lots, review lots.**

**KN**


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